Steven Tyler testifies for anti-paparazzi bill

Hawaiian act bars paps from family snaps

Aerosmith lead singer and former American Idol judge Steven Tyler will testify today in Hawaii in support of an anti-photographer bill. He says celebs just want to relax in on the beach. Why won't you people just let us relax?

The rocker is the public face on a Hawaiian bill that would "[allow] people to collect damages from someone who photographs them in an offensive way during their personal or family time," reports the Associated Press.

Wait, so you're saying Steven Tyler doesn't want himself photographed frolicking on Hawaiian beaches with his much-younger fiancée for stories that are then headlined "Steven Tyler's man boobs?" Who wouldn't love that?

All joking aside, Tyler released a statement to The Associated Press: "The paradise of Hawaii is a magnet for celebrities who just want a peaceful vacation. As a person in the public eye, I know the paparazzi are there and we have to accept that. But when they intrude into our private space, disregard our safety and the safety of others, that crosses a serious line that shouldn't be ignored."

"Providing a remedy to the often-egregious acts of the paparazzi is a very notable incentive to purchase property or vacation on the islands," the letters read. "Not only would this help the local economy, but it would also help ensure the safety of the general public, which can be threatened by crowds of cameramen or dangerous high-speed car chases."

Hawaiian Governor Neil Abercrombie said he's behind the aim of the bill but that the language may be a bit fuzzy.

The bill's text makes photographers liable for images captured "in a manner that is offensive to a reasonable person" when said subject is "engaging in a personal or familial activity with a reasonable expectation of privacy."

What's Tyler's interest in this? According to the text of the bill, he's bought a home in Maui and plans to spend a lot of time there. And yeah, he might occasionally like to take his shirt off on the beach without everybody making a big deal about it, jeez.